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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · lash · cap · bank · bowl · lean · nail · firm

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — steady
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — to bend
  14. shower — rain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — a lid
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com